2014 so far...

[CAT5 9075]

Since we're a 4th of the way into the year, I'm curious as to what music my fellow Monochromians have been enjoying thus far. What releases (Japanese or otherwise) have been notable for you so far?

 

I'll return to post my picks a bit later!

[nekkichi 6043]

femme fatale <3<3<3

[Zeus 7997]

HOLLOWGRAM was pretty nice.

[keyinjpop 89]

Sakanaction - Goodbye

NaNa - 7Walk

SID - Laser / Music (tracks 1 and 5 from OUTSIDER)

Dir En Grey - Sustain the unTruth

miii - Everything Happens To You EP

BUMP OF CHICKEN - RAY (the song)

Animals as Leaders - The Woven Web (Joy of Motion)

Boris - Quicksilver (Noise)

Park Ji Yoon - Inner Space

Until The Ribbon Breaks - Until the Ribbon Breaks (The Other Ones EP)

 

I'm anticipating How To Dress Well's next album and DEG's next album. I need to check TK from Ling tosite sigure's latest EP.

[violetchain 912]

The first thing that's coming to mind is 04 Limited Sazabys' mini-album "monolith".

 

HAN-KUN's new single "With me" is adorable too, although I'm not crazy about one of the B-sides.

 

I haven't had time to listen to much new music yet, though. Still catching up on stuff from 2013.

[JukaForever 758]

Just Symphony of the Vampire so far, the flow of the songs on to next is quite exquisite. I keep listening to it during these exam times. Granted, I have not been trying much new stuff lately and keep buying older records.

[lichtlune 915]

Just Symphony of the Vampire so far, the flow of the songs on to next is quite exquisite. I keep listening to it during these exam times. Granted, I have not been trying much new stuff lately and keep buying older records.

Pretty much this, still waiting for some new releases and femme fatale seems interesting to me too so far.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

So far, kinda:

 

Japanese

AvelCain - AvelCain

Grieva - Shuuen

Koda Kumi - Bon Voyage

Lillies and Remains - Lost

MEJIBRAY's long-ass title DVD

Velvet Eden - Double Twelve

 

Non-Japanese

Animals as Leaders - The Joy of Motion

Arctic Flowers - Weaver

Black Lips - Underneath the Rainbow

Kandle - In Flames

Laibach - Spectre

Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right

[indigo 389]

TK from Ling Tosite Sigure - contrast

Lillies and Remains - Lost

CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Vol. 3

[nullmoon 784]

I was actually really impressed with Dazzle Vision's latest album. They've really stepped up this year! Maiko's vocals have especially improved.

Symphony of the Vampire also gets my vote!

[paradoxal 2948]

So far I've found quite a few nice bands that I really enjoy listening. Para:noir, DELACROIX and 2nd Dyz are all new to me but I'm digging them really much. They haven't released anything this year though (I think?).

[Pretsy 1343]

I'm a lazy listener recent stuff-wise but hey:

 

non-Japanese:

Crosses - Crosses

St. Vincent - St. Vincent

Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once

 

Japanese:

Yasuha Kominami - Do Do Airaku

Shiina Ringo - Toutaikai Heisei Nijuu Go Nen Kamiyama Chou Taikai (it's a live dvd but those arrangements asaidhaidh)

Vampillia - The Divine Move

 

Waiting for Ringo's self-cover album and Sukekiyo's IMMORTALIS ...

[Furik 832]

In no paticular order.

 

Non Japanese:

2NE1 - Crush

Big Giant Circles - The Glory Days

Breathe Carolina - Savages

Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine

Dubmood - Machine

Karmin - Pulses

Issues - Issues

The Young Professionals - Think Again (EP)

 

Japanese:

girugamesh - LIVE BEST 

Nocturnal Bloodlust - Strike in fact (single)

m-flo - Future is Wow

BABYMETAL - BABYMETAL

FACT - witness

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - Rave-Up Tonight (single)

lynch. - GALLOWS

[Seimeisen 4406]

Not as many impressive new releases as I expected, but...

I Killed The Prom Queen - Beloved

グリーヴァ - 終焉

DIAURA - メナス／境界線

omnerod - Ivory Dune

lynch. - GALLOWS

[doaseternity6 93]

TK from Ling Toshite Shigure - Contrast

Phantogram - Voices

St. Vincent - St. Vincent

 

 

[Bear 1817]

No idea what I've heard from this year, but the few I remember:

 

Cluster Buster - Maniac 1980

This album is among the best synthwave/retro electro albums I've heard. So friggin' good. THe whole album/band is a huge homage to great films, and the music is amazing.

 

Black Magic - Wizard's Spell

Great heavy/black metal from Norway. These guys does it the old way. First half is pure heavy metal madness, and the second if their second demo, and black metal in an 80's fashion. This album is awesome!

 

Hail Spirit Noir - Oi Magoi

This isn't as good as their debut, but still a lovely album. HSN continues their unique brand of psychedelic/progressive rock and black metal. The production is richer than on the first, but I thought the first was better. It was more laidback and less produced really. The song writing was better to. It was more messy than this. But it's a great album anyway.

[platanity 99]

in no particular order 

 

JPN 

 

DIR EN GREY - SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH

KUROYUME - KURO TO KAGE

KUROYUME - REVERB

LYNCH - GALLOWS

HOLLOWGRAM - QUALIA

GIRUGAMESH - LIVE BEST

SID - OUTSIDER

REDMAN - FLAME OF LIFE

LM.C - PERFECT FANTASY

ALICE NINE - SUPERNOVA

 

NON JPN 

CROSSES - CROSSES 

 

WAITING LIST 

SUKEKIYO - IMMORTALIS

MUCC - (i forgot the title)

DIR EN GREY - (i forgot the title ... or dont exist yet?)

SADS - (hopefully)

[sai 868]

澤野弘之 - KILL la KILL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Alcest - Shelter

indigo la End - あの街レコード

cinema staff - Drums,Bass,2(to)Guitars

Super Junior-M - SWING

 

Not so many good things from outside of Japan for me, sadly. I was disappointed by quite a few things I heard from Japan as well that I expected more of, but Korea has been really disappointing so far. Same goes for the west apart from Alcest.

[jduv86 224]

This year so far has been dominated for me by Kpop

 

Park Ji Yoon "Inner Space"

Akdong Music "Play" album

2ne1 "Crush" album

Jay Park "Metronome"

Block B "Jackpot"

Got7 "Got It?" mini

MBLAQ "Broken" mini

Louie (Geeks) "Inspiration" album

Swings "Fallin'"

AOORA "Body Party"

EXO "Overdose"

LOCO feat Crush "Hold Me Tight"

Troy "Green Light"

 

Japanese:

Nocturnal Bloodlust DVD

Mejibray DVD

Girugamesh best of album

mflo "Future is Wow"

Mejibray "Raven" 

BABY METAL album

Dazzle Vision "FINAL ATTACK"

xtripx "10+1"

 

Other: 

Issues album

[Pandabear 414]

Japanese

 

Babymetal - Babymetal

Artema - Stargazer

Blood Stain Child - Last Stardust

Lillies and Remains - Lost

Fact - Witness

TK from Ling Tosite Sigure - Contrast

NoGod - sounds

Plastic Tree - Echo

Lemons Chair - My Favorite Reverb

Art-School - You

Dazzle Vison - Final Attack

 

 

 

Non Japanese

 

Animals As leaders - Joy Of Motion

Deftones - Smile

Intervals - A Voice Within

Chevelle - La Gargola

The Kindred - Life In Lucidity

Crosses - Crosses

Within Temptation - Hydra

Issues - Issues

Emmure - Nemesis

Periphery - Clear

Skrillex - Recess

Red Seas Fire - Confrontation

[237Q 154]

I'm very very impressed with everything DIV's released this year,

Liphlich's Hurrah Hurray single (Piropo is probably my favorite song of the year),

both The Kiddie's singles (I'm rocking out to 1414287356 right now),

everything Mejibray's done (well, generally everything's mejibray ever done at this brand new fangirl point),

Kameleo's new single (especially 時給¥850 PV haha)

and Moran's Dark (it's just... super beautiful lol)

[Guest mitsu the indie girl]

I discovered the J-Rock band, urema recently. I bought their newest mini album that came out this month...and I'm blown away. The lyrics are so simple yet beautiful in my opinion and the music is....the word that comes to mind....poetic. I haven't felt this way about a band or release in the longest time, especially in the Japanese music world. A band I highly recommend for 2014.

[DeithX252 1266]

not really impressed, but this is the list that I enjoyed so far:

 

TK from 凛として時雨 - contrast

HER NAME IN BLOOD - HER NAME IN BLOOD

cinema staff - Drums,Bass,2(to)Guitars

V.A. - ROCK AND SYMPATHY -tribute to the pillows-

palitextdestroy - twilight

浮遊スル猫 - フカシンリョウイキ

和楽器バンド - ボカロ三昧

Shores - Life/Lost

NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST - DESPERATE

 

the album that I am waiting is gonna release in this midyear or more, I have to wait

[Bear 1817]

I decided I'd just update my list as I hear things through enough times and put them below their character:
 

9/10:

 

Cluster Buster - Maniac 1980

This album is among the best synthwave/retro electro albums I've heard. So friggin' good. The whole album/band is a huge homage to great films, and the music is amazing. Don't need more than that.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Maniac 1980

 

Black Magic - Wizard's Spell

Great heavy/black metal from Norway. These guys does it the old way. First half is pure black metal influenced heavy metal madness, and the second if their second demo, and black metal in an 80's fashion. This album is awesome!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Thunder

 

Salem's Pot - ...Lurar ut dig på prärien
There's not a hint of originality or distinctive stamp to be found anywhere on this album, but fuck me if this album isn't damn fine. Salem's Pot delivers 33 minutes of sleazy, occult doom metal of the purest kind. This album could've been used as the soundtrack to Vampyros Lesbos, or many of the other erotic horror films of the 70's. I dig!

Best cover of the year as well, with Soledad Miranda, taken from Vampyros Lesbos. I love it!

Best song of the album can be heard here: Creep Purple

 

Pharrell Williams - Girl

Wow, this album, man. Easy-listening summer pop filled with great songs and a Pharrell that never was better. Semi-funky pop at its very, very best. There's not a single bad song on the album, but there is a few that stands out very much. Marilyn Monroe, Happy and Know Who You Are are a tad better than the others. Pop doesn't get much better than this in 2014. No poor rapping, electronic influences or anything like that. Just pure pop madness that makes me think of the 70's and 80's, just with a modern touch. Fantastic!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Happy

 

Clishe choice, but this song is out of this world good. Doesn't get much better or catchier than this.

 

8/10:

 

Hail Spirit Noir - Oi Magoi

This isn't as good as their debut, but still a lovely album. HSN continues their unique brand of psychedelic/progressive rock and black metal. The production is richer than on the first, but I thought the first was better. It was more laidback and less produced really. The song writing was better to. It was more messy than this. But it's a great album anyway.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Hunters

 

Alcest - Shelter

A lot of people were disappointed by this becuse of the lack of metal and harsh vocals, and didn't like the big change. But c'mon guys, what big change? Despite dropping most metal influences on this album, it still sounds 100% Alcest. The melodies, vocal melodies and atmoshere are still 100% Alcest. There was never a big change to be honest. This is a fantastic album with a massive atmosphere and great songs. Don't believe the lies, this is still 100% Alcestesque. Their weakest album till now, though, but considering the previous three albums and their debut EP are masterpieces, that's not so surprising and doesn't mean this is bad.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Délivrance

 

Satan's Satyrs - Die Screaming

In 2012 these guys released their debut album Wild Beyond Belief! which is the perfect mix between Electric Wizard, Black Flag and Blue Cheer, mixed with some heavy metal. Wild Beyond Belief! is a masterpiece beyond words to be honest. The production is nothing short of perfect, the songwriting is amazing and the vocals were both unique and great. Add an amazing aesthetic and image on top of that  and you get something close to perfect. I had high hopes for this album, and even though it does deliver, I must admit to the fact that I am a bit disappoitned. Everything is weaker than on the debut album, and most noticable are the change of vocals. They're still awesome, just not as over the top awesome as on the debut. But what we've got here is a great album, and if you enjoy Electric Wizard, Black Flag or Blue Cheer you should be sure to check this album out.

 

I couldn't find the best song (title track) on neither youtube or bandcamp, so this has to do: One by One (They Die)

 

Hooded Menance - Labyrinth of Carrion Breeze

These finns have been making heavy-as-fuck horror inspired doom/death metal for 7 years now, and ever since their demo they've released doom/death metal in its purest form. The majority of their songs have been about The Blind Dead film-series, but they've got songs influenced by other films as well. This is an EP consisting of two songs at 10 and 7,5 minutes, inspired by the cult horror film Cry of the Banshee, and they manage to create much of the same atmosphere as the film does. This is dark, heavy and ugly, yet melodic, doom/death metal at its very best. This will crush your bones!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Chasm of the Wraith

 

Nocturnal - Storming Evil

Nocturnal has been giving us great teutonic thrash metal for 14 years now, but despite that this is just their third full lenght. If you like classic, German thrash like old Destruction, Kreator and Sodom, you'll like this. This is a total thrash assault, giving us 45 minutes of amazing thrash metal riffs. This album ain't nothing but riffs. This is a comlete riff-o-rama. If you like badass riffs, then you'll love this album. I wish the production was a bit rougher, though, as it is a tad to clean for this kind of music IMO. It could also have been 5-7 minutes shorter, despite everything being great. But thrash metal albums doesn't need to go past the 40 minute mark, no matter how great the music is. I can't think of many thrash metal albums among the 30 best that are more than 40-41 minutes long, and there's a reason for that.

 

EVÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄL!!!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Blessed Death

 

Mansion - The Mansion Congregation Hymns Vol​.​1

Mansion is another of those female fronted occult doom/rock bands that's been rising the past decade or so, and they impressed me very much with their debut EP last year. It's a fine mix of doom, rock and heavy metal, often sounding like a Jex Thoth rip off. Which, to me at least, is nothing but positive. Very much so as well. The Mansion Congregation is a two song EP and starts off with the hard rocking Wild Child, which is 100% rocking, and nothing more. It's a fine song with a great chorus. Catchy as fuck. The second song, New Dawn, is on the slower side. It's an atmospheric song, but it's still catchy. The chorus is damn fine!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: New Dawn

 

In Solitude - Serpents are Rising

The title song here, Serpents are Rising, are from their critically acclaimed second album, The World. The Flesh. The Devil, released in 2011. Since their debut in 2008 these guys have risen and evolved from a very Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate inspired sound to a heavy metal/death rock sound, more just as inspired by Samhain, Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim. Sister, released just last year, was a unique heavy metal album and their best to date. Serpents are Rising is just a single comsisting of one damn good original song, and an even better cover song of already mentioned Samhain. Mother of Mercy is just as good as the classic, original song, if not better, and that just shows how great this is. Not many can cover a classic song written and sung by Danzig, and improve on it. Very, very few, if none, have done that before In Solitude. It's damn great!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Mother of Mercy (Samhain cover)

 

Nunslaughter / Acid Witch - Spooky

This is a split between the cult death metallers Nunslaughter and the horror ridden death/doomers Acid Witch. Unlike most splits, this split ain't your regular one band on side A - the other band on side B type of thing. This split is divided into genres. Side A is DOOM and side B is DEATH, and both bands have one song each on both sides. On side A Nunslaughter gives you heavy, doomy death metal in the vein of Asphyx and Autopsy. Not their usual brand of death metal, but they done it well here. Heavy as fuck. Acid Witch gives you their usual brand of horror inspired death/doom with brilliant, horror inspired keybord over it. Side B is pure death metal hell, and this is where Acid Witch surprises. The song doesn't reach the level of awesomeness of "Evil", but it's a surprising song in that it is completely different than anything they've done before. Thrashy death metal with horror inspired keyboard over it.

 

The thing I find very funny here is that the band seems to have written eachothers lyrics on side A. Acid Witch usually have lyrics about horror, witchcraft and drugs, while Nunslaughter usually have lyrics about satan, blasphemy and anti-christianity. However, on side A Acid Witch gives us bible bashing madness while Nunslaughter gives us lyrics about horror. Awesome!

 

And since this is a split I'll take one song from each band:

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Acid Witch - Evil

Best song of the album can be heard here: Nunslaughter - Spooky Tails

 

Sargeist - Feeding the Crawling Shadows

Sargeist is one of Shatraug thousand active bands (not actually a thousand, though. Seventeen is more like it), and one of my favourite bands of his. Let the Devil In was Sargeist's previous album, and while being good, it was almost too catchy. It was polished and just too nice really. That's why it isn't played much anymore. I just got tired of it. This however sees Sargeist return more to their roots. The production is way rawer and while the music is the same as always, it just doesn't feel as catchy. It's way thicker on atmosphere and it suits this band very well. It has more in common with their debut, and the debut being my favourite of theirs that's obviously a very ositive thing. Great album!

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: The Shunned Angel

 

The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-Li
I liked the debut very much from these guys, but it wasn't a masterpiece. Neither is this, but it is even better than the debut. This is Lovecraftian post-black metal and at times you can feel the Lovecraft influence in this album. It's a damn atmospheric album which is a bit better than the debut on every aspect of the album. This is a damn fine album!

Best song of the album can be heard here: Behind the Mountains

 

Portrait - Crossroads

These guys are known Mercyful Fate/King Dimaond worshippers, which is why I felt a bit disappointed by this album. I mean, fuck, it's a damn fine album, but with this they've gone a few steps away from the Mercyful Fate/King Diamond worship they've done previously. I think this is a great album, and as soon as I got used to the progressive sound of this album I really started to appreciate this album way more than in the begining. It's grows a lot! Evil, occult heavy metal really is my cup of tea.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: In Time

 

Spell - The Full Moon Sessions

Spell plays dark, dirty and occult heavy metal with a touch of originality. You won't have any problems hearing which band this is if someone put on the record. Not all songs are amazing, but the worst songs on the album is very solid and the best ones are nothing short of amazing.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Electric Witchery

 

Vintersorg - Naturbål

With Cosmic Genesis, released in 2000, Vintersorg moved away from his well-known folk metal sound and stepped into progressive territory, and lyrically he moved from nature and paganism to cosmos. While there was still elements of both the folk and black metal sound in the music, it was a huge change and while a good album, it's inferior to the three albums relesed before it. With each album he got gradually worse and reached a low with the progressive The Focusing Blur. Not bad, just not very good either. Then came Solens rötter. We were promised an album that would be back to the roots with folky metal and lyrics in Swedish. Well, it was a bit folkier, and it had Swedish lyrics, but it wasn't much about it that reminded anyone about the good, ol' days. With that album I stopped checking out his new albums. He also got gradually more annoying vocal-wise, and went to become awful in both Vintersorg and Borknagar (both bands got worse with each release anyway, so it did not matter). I accidently came over his promo video for Lågornas rov and it was such a surprise. Once again he was playing around with folky black metal with a progressive and symphonic touch, and it was by far the best song he had done since Ödermarkens son. The album is amazing, and VIntersorg finally sings good again as well. The album feels like the natural follow-up to Ödermarkens son. Well-written and interesting songs with lots of catches, fantastic choruses, a production with a few, lovely faults and great vocals. His best album since Ödermarkens son, and perhaps even better than that, and a natural follow-up without him just copying himself.

 

Because of this I also decided to check out Jordpuls and Orkan, and he got more and more back to his roots with each album. Neither are nearly as good as this, though.

 

The best track of the album can be heard here: Lågornas rov

 

Boneyard - Fear of a Zombie Planet

Boneyard is the latest project from Noel Kemper, best known for his work with fantastic grindcore acts like Altar of GIallo and Gruesome Stuff Relish. Boneyard plays old school grindcore in the vein of Impetigo. This is 100% Impetigo worship, and it's damn fucking good. Original? No, there's not a single hint of originality here. But it's Impetigo-worship done in such a manner that it should be impossible for any Impetigo-maniacs not to enjoy it. The production ain't top notch, especially the drums sounds weak as fuck. Should've gotten himself a drummer to assist him on this. But everything else is so good it's impossible not to enjoy it. Great album!

 

Easily one of the best album covers of the year as well. Horror!

 

The best track of the album can be heard here: Rise of the Dead

 

7/10:

 

High Spirits - High Spirits

The debut album of this heavyrock act was catchyness in its purest form, and it was a display on how to write one überatchy song after another. It was almost too much of the good, so when I heard that the follow-up was on its way I was stoked as fuck. And the first song they published, The Last Night, is a really good and really catchy song, so I just assumed the rest of the album would be to. But god, was I disappointed. The Last Night is one of two songs on this album I'll dare to call eally catchy, the rest? Not so much. As with Portrait I am sure it'll grow on me, because this is a well-written heavyrock album with great songs, but I was a bit let down when I heard it. But I'll get used to it, and this will grow on me.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: The Last Night

 

Behemoth - The Satanist

Behemoth makes a return to form after spending the last 10 years releasing one album after another with overproduced shit. This as well is a bit overproduced, but it doesn't sound as plastic as the previous 3-4 albums, and it has good songs and improved vocals from Nergal, and finally they've gone a bit back to their roots and included way more black metal again. It was about time since it what they do the best. It's not a great album, but it's a good one and hopefully these guys will continue down this path.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: O Father O Satan O Sun!

 

Kriegsmaschine - Enemy of Man

This band is often compared to the fantastic Polish black metal band Mgla because of M. and Darkside (and previous member Daren) who're all members of Mgla, but except for the production, this doesn't have much in common with Mgla. This is way different than Mgla, and a bit different than the previous Kriegsmaschine albums. This is black metal, but there's no blasting or double bass here. And you won't find those dark, melodic riffs here, that you find in Mgla. This is evil-sounding, disharmonic black metal with a thick atmosphere that just reeks of suffering, death and dest uction. The drumming on this album is exceptional! It is truly out of the ordinary.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: To Ashen Havens

 

Slough Feg - Digital Resistance

This band is very hit and miss for me. They've never released anything bad, but they're not on top often either, and the only album I keep getting back to over and over and over is Traveller, which to me is a modern classic. Slough Feg got their own sound early on, and they've kina developed that a bit with every album, but they've never taken massive steps in any direction. They've just kept doing what they're good at, and what they know. They're like a mix of Manilla Road, Iron Maiden, Rainbow (with Dio) and Thin Lizzy. The first song we got to hear from this album was the fanfuckintastic Laser Enforcer, which reminds me a lot of Traveller. The rest doesn't live up to the greatness of this song, and that's disappointing. But it's still a very good album, and Slough Feg's second best album to date. Catchy as fuck!

 

Best song of the album can be heard her: Laser Enforcer

 

Sorcier des Glaces - Ritual of the End

Sorcier des Glaces hails from Québec, a city that is being well known for having an amazing amount of great black metal bands nowadays, and their name translates to Wizard of Ice, a name that is very fitting band for a band like this. SDG plays ice cold, primitive and atmosheric black metal that at the same timel manages to be both majestic and grandiose. The songwriting is excellent, but the production does hold this album back a lot. The snare is way too loud in the mix and doesn't sound very well. The bass drum doesn't sound good either. They both sounds very plasticy, and that ruins a lot of the fun here. This is an album that deserves a more lo-fi production. But if you like bands such as Fortresse and Evilfeast, you might as well check out this album.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: The Frozen Sword of Midnight

 

Woods of Desolation - As the Stars

I love this band, but I have to admit I've been a bit disappointed with both albums released after their fantastic debut, Toward the Depths, and the fantastic EP following that album, Sorh. I think Woods of Desolation's previous album, Torn Beyond Reason, was a great album, just not on par with neither Toward the Depths or Sorh. Toward the Depths or Sorh both had this feeling of hopelessness, solitude and sorrow, which was something Torn Beyond Reason lacked. Torn Beyond Reason, to me at least, sounds like a more positive record. While Toward the Depths or Sorh sounds like the soundtrack to someone misrable who's missed everything, and who's got nothing to live for, Torn Beyond Reason sounds like the soundtrack to someone who's found light at the end of the tunnel and that has something to look forward to, that has this glimse of hope. Yeah, that's is painfully bad written and cheesy as fuck, but that's how I feel. As the Stars follows Torn Beyond Reason, just with a even bigger light at the end of the tunnel. It's warmer, more beautiful. It's not as depressive as its precending album, which again wasn't as depressive as its precending album. But it's a good album, and one that sure will evoke some emotions in you.

 

Best song of the can be heard here: Withering Field

 

Hypothermia - Självdestruktivitet född av monotona tankegångar IV: Warakumbla

This EP is a 22 minutes long instrumental song that takes you on a journey through dark woods and hopelessness. Hypothermia plays depressive black metal, and is by far one of the best in the genre. They started out as a pute depressive black metal band but have evolved their sound a lot since the begining, and slowly started incorporating post-rock into their music. This is much of the same that we got on both Gråtoner and the 70 minute long instrumental Skogens hjärta, but with less black metal. It's damn atmospheric, and even though both this and Skogens hjärta is two damn fine songs, I just can't help but miss Kim's painful and sparse shrieks. That's what's missing here. But even without vocals, it's a damn good song.

 

Best song of the can be heard here: Självdestruktivitet född av monotona tankegångar IV: Warakumbla

 

Agalloch - The Serpent & the Sphere

As Agalloch never released anything below amazing before this, I was obviously looking forward to this and expecting something great. Well, there's always a first and this was the first time Agalloch has disappointed me. Not because it is bad, but because it doesn't live up to their previous albums, and fora first time they haven't reinvented themself. The whole album sounds like a compilation of riffs written around Pale Folklore and The Mantle, but that didn't make either of the albums because they weren't seen as good enough. Then in 2014 they felt like they had to release something new, and they picked up all the old, unused riffs and just threw them together, and the result was this. It's disappointing. It doesn't feel fresh, it doesn't feel very inspired and it just doesn't sound too good. It's not bad, and I have to admit that it has grown on me a lot since I first heard it (jumped from 6 to 7 with a few listens), and it might grow a lot more with more listens. But as of now, I am not too impressed. It's not bad, but it's not amazing either. The magic is gone, to put it like that. It's not enchanting, like all their other albums are. And after the fantastic Faustian Echoes, an EP that was original, dark, fresh and amazing, I had also hoped they would continue down that path. That might have a big role in my disappointment as well.

 

 

Best song of the can be heard here: Dark Matter Gods

 

6/10

 

Coffin Dust - This Cemetery, My Kingdom

A good death/thrash/crossover album in the vein of Ghoul. It's just a fun deathrashing album with zero originality or anything like that. But if you enjoy the liked of Ghoul and Frightmare you'll enjoy this. This is not on par with those bands, though. The song writing isn't up and and neither are the production which is a bit weird. And the album is 10-15 minutes too long.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Ancient Rites of Buried Evil

 

Morbus Chron - Sweven

Good album, but a huge disappointment. This will be the disappointment of the year I think. Their demo, Splendour of Disease, first EP, Creepy Creeping Creeps, and debut album, Sleepers in the Rift, are some of the best death metal produced post 1989 IMO. Masterpieces! They were unoriginal, but so well-written and great I can't hail them enough. Then came A Saunter Through the Shroud, which is a solid EP, but a huge disappointment. They found a more original sound for themself and became a lot more progressive and playful. I was disappointed, but it was still a good progressive death metal album. Sweven however, is just... I don't know. Mediore? 80% of the album sounds the same and the songwriting is pretty boring and predictable. It's all the same. There's barely any death metal left, and they've gone all Opeth with this album. It's not a bad album, but it's not that good either. Amazing at its best, but it rarely hit the top and that's the problem.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: Chains

 

Vampire - Vampire

Vampire causted quite a stir in the underground with their 2012 demo, and I was among them who was damn impressed. But me, I wasn't just impressed. I was in shock over how amazing the demo was. Despite being just a demo, it was one of the best death metal releases ever made, and I even went as far as calling it a classic after listening to it just once, and that's something I still stand by. The songwriting was close to perfect and the production was perfect. Vampire is Vampire's first full lenght, and the songs are great. None of the new songs matches the four songs found on the demo, but they're still good. The production however, isn't. It's way too polished. It lacks the ugly rawness of the demo. It probably deserves a point more or so, but I just can't. I'm too disappointed. I don't get how a death metal band, especially considering how fucking 80's the music is, can be happy with a production like this. It doesn't make any sense at all.

 

Best song of the album can be heard here: At Midnight I'll Possess Your Corpse

 

 

 

 

 

Newly added:

05.05.14 - Hooded Menance, Kriegsmaschine, Nocturnal and Slough Feg

06.05.14 - Sorcier des Glaces, Woods of Desolation, Mansion, Hypothermia, In Solitude, Vampire, Nunslaughter / Acid Witch and Sargeist

15.05.14 - Salem's Pot

20.05.14 - The Great Old Ones, Spell

06.07.14 - Pharrell Williams - Girl

07.07.14 - Vintersorg - Naturbål

15.07.14 - Agalloch - The Serpent & the Sphere

23.07.14 - Boneyard - Fear of a Zombie Planet

[Visutox 188]

There are not many Japanese releases that I had the opportunity to listen since the begin of the year. But I'm on it!

Lately, I'm trying to focalize in non-Japanese stuff. 

 

Japanese

 

Fact - witness
girugämesh - LIVE BEST

HER NAME IN BLOOD - HER NAME IN BLOOD

NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST - Strike in fact

Namie Amuro - TSUKI

lynch. - GALLOWS

Hello Sleepwalkers - Masked Monkey Awakening

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - Rave-Up Tonight

DIR EN GREY - SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH

Dragon Ash - THE FACES

 

Non-Japanese

 

Behemoth - The Satanist
Whispered - Shogunate Macabre

Mastodon - High Road

John Frusciante - Enclosure

Demon Hunter - Extremist

Avatar - Hail The Apocalypse

Architects - Lost Forever // Lost Together

Animals As Leaders - The Joy of Motion

Skindred - Kill the Power

Of Mice & Men - Restoring Force

De la Tierra - De La Tierra

Dark Tranquillity - A Memory Construct (EP)

 

And I'm looking forward many other releases this year!